A record with a queer edge of random musings, murmurs and dorky/silly things that are me - citizen of the world and traveller of the globe.”Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.” (Dr. Seuss)”Our lives can only be lived forward and understood backwards. Living a life and understanding it, occupy different dimensions” (Soren Kierkegaard)
Abu Usamah, a Birmingham-based imam, appeared in Channel 4’s Undercover Mosque documentary, in which he was seen advocating the killing of gays and Muslims who leave their faith.
He was invited to speak by the Islamic societies at City University and University College London (UCL), although UCL has now cancelled his appearance. Read more about it here.
A straight couple who tried to apply for a civil partnership this morning have said they are willing to take their case to the European Court of Human Rights. Rightfully so. (I know civil partnerships are possible for Dutch straight couples.) Read more about it here.
Justice Brownstone penned a wonderful book, drawing from his experiences in Toronto Family Court, called Tug of War: A Judge’s Verdict on Separation, Custody Battles and the Bitter Realities of Family Court (ECW Press, 2009) and was released earlier this year. I still intend on picking it up and reading it.
Joan Jett rocks in more ways than one: read her interview for Inked Magazine (Inked for a cause).
The ‘net is buzzing with more Lilith Fair news. I, for one, hope to attend one date (I couldn’t the last time due to financial reasons). A guy friend of mine recounts his time at Lilith Fair - read it here. Its tone differs greatly from the one on Popnography. AfterEllen also asks her readers who they would love to see - here. (Easy guess who tops my list, eh?)
Hottie Rena Sofer has joined CBS’ “NCIS” as a potential recurring. She will play a no-nonsense attorney with mysterious motives.
CBC is broadcasting my friend Lara’s short, called Sunfish. It’s not geo blocked, so anyone can watch it *HERE*
eurOut published my latest article on straight allies (yay! Thank you, Stacey) and a heart warming tale posted on Dorothy Snarker’s blog. Sounds like a Hollywood movie, eh?
Currently listening to A Girl Called Eddy (album: A Girl Called Eddy)
You might - or might not - have read about the outrage caused by a British “journalist” called Jan Moir. The first time I heard about it was when a British friends of mine started posting about it, clearly showing their disapproval and disgust for Moir’s total ignorance. One even went as far as calling her the C-word (and he is one of the smartest, nicest straight man I know - so for him to use that word…). Anyway, read about it here and the update here (hello, 21,000 complaints and then some). Sounds to me as if Moir has a problem with certain possible “assets” of the homosexual lifestyle. And she’s conveniently forgetting the fact that similar “assets” can be found in heterosexual lifestyles as well. She’s issued some sort of apology in the meantime, but she clearly doesn’t get it. Jan Moir may think she’s not a homophobe, she can at least pride herself in being a bigot.
Fortunately, there are still good things happening in the UK; like this Scottish LGBT-friendly soccer team who are deservedly nominated for a Stonewall Award.
According to this article the Taliban has published a rulebook, and reading it I didn’t know whether to wince or snicker at the stupidity of it all. I mean, any educated person instinctively knows that a band of bearded men telling others to treat women badly (I’m not even sure they are considered second class citizens), what to think, how to act and how to dress cannot be for the greater good. To the advantage of the Taliban; yes. For the greater good; no.
In the meantime President Obama is tackling DADT, the Canadians again show they may not shout as loud as the Americans do, but they are just as great. Halifax’s Chronicle Herald published an article on Canadian forces and their inclusion of gays. A friend of mine can attest to that; she didn’t join till she was 33. And she is still serving 19 years later. Just sayin’, President Obama.
Are you on Facebook, and confused about “live feed” and “news feed”? Check out this page on how to adjust the settings to make it less confusing, and more desirable for you to read (some people seem to post every fifteen minutes - if you know what I mean)…
Charlize Theron. I like her. Vocal human rights advocate. Don’t get me wrong, but she is such a hussy! She kissed a lady for charity. Some lucky lady (she coughed up $140,000 but got a 20-second smooch)…
More Serena Ryder news. (I should get paid for this. I’d settle for a smooch with Serena. Just kidding! Or am I?) She’s currently touring the US with labelmates NeedToBreathe (Serena’s playing Chicago on Halloween!) and “Is it o.k.” will be released in the US on November 3rd - almost a year after its release in homeland Canada. Read more on it here. In the meantime Serena’s also featured in one of City Sonic’s episodes on how she started out. Watch it here.
When I found out Vertical Horizon had a new album out (”Burning the days“) I was thrilled; I wasn’t aware of the fact the band had reformed. Their album “Everything you want” was one of my favorite albums in the late ’90s. Now and then, I still play a couple songs with the singer of my band. Let’s hope they start touring again
Time flies, eh? Last April my friend Tweety and I visited NYC, and - amongst other things - checked out Avenue Q. We both enjoyed it very much (we were singing and quoting lines from the show on our way back to the hotel). After a six-year run, the curtains will close on Broadway. Read an interview with the cast and creators on the birth of Avenue Q.
UK rock band Skunk Anansie is about to release their new single “Because of you“. Reunited they are embarking on a massive European tour - with dates frequently added as their shows sell out like hot cakes. It took me a couple of weeks to get used to the new single, but I really like it now.
Protect Maine Equality released two simple but shining tv spots. Watch them here. And my friend Stacey alerted me on to this (thanks!). It’s pretty much Milwaukee based, but very inspiring - and educational, too.
The bay of Fundy may be turned into a huge power plant. Not surprising, really, if you see the massive tides rolling in and out twice a day (yep, it’s a tourist attraction). It will affect animal and plant life, that I can tell. Maybe they should talk to the Dutch about this. They’re pretty much experts on things like this, aren’t they?
By the way: can anyone tell me what American idiot thought it was a good idea to start taxing tourists?! Read about it here.
Well, that’s it for this week. Short but sweet. Oh, lest I forget: A HAPPY LABOR DAY WEEKEND TO Y’ALL!
Reuters reports: “Tens of thousands of spectators cheered as Mayor Job Cohen performed the ceremony on a cruise around the city’s canals to celebrate the high point of the city’s gay pride festival. Eight years ago Cohen presided over the first legal Dutch gay marriage. All five couples had at least one partner from New York, where a battle over the legalization of gay marriage rages on. ‘For me it’s a message to New York, the most liberal state, the most hip state, to get with it,’ said Ira Siff, an opera professional from New York who was about to marry his partner, opera singer Hans Heijnis. The New York-Amsterdam connection is much in the news this year, with the cities celebrating a 400-year relationship in 2009. Cohen called the couples a ‘figurehead’ for that bond. ‘Your transatlantic love is proof of the lasting connection between old and new Amsterdam,’ Cohen said in the service.”
It seemed as if all of a sudden all kinds of shite on Kelly Clarkson popped up on the Net: people were disgusted by how fat she’s gotten. WTF?! She’s not fat. She looks fine to me. Wasn’t one of the reasons she won American Idol several years ago she looks like the girl next door? Well, having seen pictures I must say she does indeed look like an average American girl. Fortunately, some of the folks commenting on her current body do point out there are more qualities too Ms. Clarkson than looking thin, like here. And in case you were wondering: no, I’m not a fan of Ms. Clarkson. She has a good singing voice, but musically it’s just not my cup of tea.
Unlike film director Ky Dickens, who turned her experiences (facing homophobia from the sisters in her Vanderbilt sorority) into a movie called “Fish out of water“. In it she not only tackles homophobia, Ky also takes on hate monger Fred Phelps. I think the trailer looks very promising.
Europe is voting for a new EU Parliament, and it looks like the majority is leaning to the right. (FYI: I gave my vote to a left party.) I’m not happy with the outcome.
“I’ve heard it said before, many times, that if two men or two women are allowed to join into a civil union together, why can’t they be happy with that and why is it so important that they call it marriage? In essence, what’s in a name?…A civil union has to do with death. It’s essentially a document that gives you lower taxes and the right to let your faux spouse collect your insurance when you pass away. A marriage is about life. It’s about a commitment. And this argument is about allowing people to have the right to make that commitment, even if it doesn’t make sense to you. Anything else falls under the category of ’separate but equal’ and we know how that works out.”
Moments ago the California Supreme Court has upheld Proposition 8 but ruled that the 18,000+ same-sex marriages already valid in the state will remain so.
In the 6-1 decision, the judges rejected an argument from gay marriage supporters that the ban was unconstitutional but unanimously ruled that the 18,000 gay couples who married while gay marriage was legal will stay wed.
The only judge who wanted Prop 8 to be struck down was Justice Carlos R. Moreno, who was the court’s sole Democrat. Gay activists had said that the ban revised the California constitution’s equal protection clause to the point of needing Legislative approval.
The ruling said: “In a sense, petitioners’ and the attorney general’s complaint is that it is just too easy to amend the California constitution through the initiative process. But it is not a proper function of this court to curtail that process; we are constitutionally bound to uphold it.”
The crowd of gay marriage supporters who watched the hearing live on screens outside the San Francisco courthouse chanted “Shame on you” as the decision was announced.
Gay marriage was legalised in California in May 2008. However, Prop 8 defined marriage as being between a man and a woman last November. Supporters of gay marriage argued the initiative was unconstitutional and discriminatory. The Supreme Court examined whether a voting majority can overrule minority rights previously recognised by the court, as it had previously declared that gays and lesbians have a constitutional right to marry.
Gay marriage advocates are expected to hold protests today against the ruling. California allows gay couples to have civil partnerships but activists say these are not equal to marriage.
“There is no ‘underlying’ principle more basic to our Constitution than that the equal protection clause protects the fundamental rights of minorities from the will of the majority.” - Justice Moreno, the lone dissenting justice
“A private bill was introduced on the floor today on behalf of Shirley Tan. She will not have to leave the USA until this session of congress ends, and unless UAFA - Uniting American Families Act passes through Congress. A great big thanks from the Tan-Mercado family to Rep. Speier and her amazing staff as well as Sen. Feinstein and her staff, all of whom showed extraordinary care and diligence through the process. A special mention to the organizations that lent their support. Marriage Equality, Immigration Equality, Out4Immigration, Love Exiles and all the Media that remained so patient and supportive. Sen Boxer is sponsoring UAFA and we now hope that Sen. Feinstein will do the same as many many others are in as bad a predicament as Shirley Tan has been. When I spoke to Jay today she was crying with joy and said the whole family including the boys were absolutely overwhelmed with emotion. The news was conveyed to her directly by Senator Feinstein’s office. It has been a long and arduous process and so a very special thank you goes to Attorney Phyllis Beech, San Francisco and Fresno.”
The Washington DC council has voted unanimously to recognize gay marriages performed in other states.
Previously, gay couples who were married in other states were recognized as domestic partners when they moved to DC but the measure, it passes a final vote next month, means their unions will be recognized as marriages.
In a statement, DC mayor Adrian Fenty said he looked forward to signing the bill.
The bill will require that married same-sex couples must be accorded the same benefits as those received by married straight couples.
The development comes days after Iowa and Vermont legalised same-sex marriage.
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